Listed winner Missed The Cut (Quality Road) is pleasing trainer George Boughey in advance of a try in the G3 Neom Turf Cup on the G1 Saudi Cup undercard on Saturday.
“He has come a long way in a short space of time,” said the trainer, who saw the son of Quality Road breeze on the Riyadh track ahead of the extended 10-furlong test on Saturday.
“There was a rapid rise through the summer last year, possibly too much too soon when we took him out to France for a Group 2.
“We are just taking our time with him. He comes here in super shape, so we are looking forward to it.
“His last run is obviously good form. Algiers (Ire) (Shamardal) has taken his form to a whole different level on the dirt at Meydan and this is a whole different kettle of fish.
“It is a tight 10 1/2 furlongs around the turf on Saturday. He has plenty of pace and he should go pretty well.”
A winner at Royal Ascot in 2022, the 4-year-old entire was fifth in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano in August and defeated subsequent dual Group 2 winner Algiers by a short head in the Listed Churchill S. over the Lingfield all-weather on Nov. 12.
“He is a very good-looking horse and he's only sort of furnishing now,” added Boughey. “He was very raw last year and his demeanour has improved. His behaviour is better and he is certainly going the right way. I hope he can be a flag-bearer for the yard. He has got to go and do it on the world stage and his work is getting that way.
“I think he could be versatile ground and trip-wise. He has got a dirt pedigree as well, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him step onto an all-weather surface in the pretty near future.”
Missed The Cut, who will have former champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the irons on Saturday, races for Babington, St Elias & Hudson as well as co-owner Lane's End Farm.
“We will take one step at a time, but he has a top-side dirt pedigree and we will certainly be exploring that soon, whether it will be in Dubai or America. He is obviously part-owned by Lane's End Stud and that will be where we want him to end up [in America].
“He has got to go and prove it. He is a stakes winner now, but is certainly going the right way. We have had a bit of a headache through his career so far with jockey changes.
“Oisin is a world-class rider and I think we might be able to get a bit of consistency with him. He doesn't, at the moment, have a top-class 10-furlong horse to ride this year, so it would be good to nail him down and hopefully they can create a good bond together.”
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